Brook Guitars are built in an old cottage in Devon, England by Simon Smidmore and Andy Petherick. Andy and Simon honed their craft working for Andy Manson, whose work with Ian Anderson in particular made him the darling of the English folk-rock scene decades ago. We were so fond of their work for Manson Guitars that when they headed off on their own to start building Brook guitars, it was a no-brainer for us to follow them. Over the years I have really grown to cherish these instruments.

Brook's tone is characterized by a remarkable sweetness—in fact, nearly everyone who plays them in the shop uses this exact adjective to describe them. While American builders tend to go for bigger and bolder sound, Brook guitars are decidedly English, with an emphasis on note character and intonation. Their instruments are typically shallower and smaller in profile than American guitars, but you might find that a welcome change after years of playing dreadnoughts and mini-jumbos.

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